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I recently received the following account:I was camping in the Shenandoah Mountains in Rockingham County, VA last October 2017. It was nice fall weather, so I decided to go out for the weekend. When I arrived, a local ranger pointed out a hiking trail for me to follow. After a hike over the mountain, there was a nice area of flat ground near a stream that was perfect for camping. I hiked a few miles to get to the bottom of the trail. I set up camp, ate dinner and crawled into my tent.Around 12:30 AM, I heard a noise outside of my tent that literally scared the hell out of me. I sat upright, and listened to the sounds. Soon after, I could hear rocks falling just outside of the tent. By the direction in which the rocks fell, I figured that someone was throwing the rocks downhill from the mountain…but that was over 100 yards away. I slowly crawled out of the tent and peered out into the darkness. The area was extremely dark, and I could barely see my own hands right in front of my face. Then suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps nearby, which were getting closer.I scrambled back into the tent and reached into my pack in order to grab my .44 magnum. I pointed the gun at the ground in the opposite direction of the footsteps, and then let off a round. The footsteps stopped, but I did hear a faint rustling sound going away from me. I quickly reached into the tent and grabbed my sleeping bag. I found a nearby tree and propped himself against it. The magnum still in my hand. I dozed on and off, frightened at what had occurred.It started to become light, but my nerves were still on edge. I didn’t wait around long enough to take down the tent. I had at least a 2-hour hike ahead of me and I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I started my way up the trail. It was rocky and a slight incline in the beginning.I was about an hour up the mountain when I began to hear the same strange noises I had heard the night before. I picked up my pace until I reached the peak. As I made my way to the top, I saw that there was another lower peak on my left, around 150 yards away. There stood a hairy, human-like figure looking directly at me. I knew that the creature was a Bigfoot. It was massive, at least 8-foot in height. I was so scared, I started to run. At the same time, the beast let out a terrible scream that echoed in the valley below. It didn’t attempt to follow, but continued to scream.To this day I can still hear that scream. It sounded like a low growl at first, then continued into a high pitched shrill, becoming a long, sustained howling. It most likely wanted me to leave its territory, according to what I have read. It was probably hunting at night and was upset that I had set up camp.You are the first person I have shared my encounter with. I doubt I’ll ever go into the wilderness at night again. WRNOTE: There have been other documented incidents with Bigfoot in the Shenandoah National Park. The backcountry has a decent population of Black Bear, Coyote and Bobcat as well. This area is not too far from the George Washington National Forest, where some harrowing encounters have been reported. LonThe Shenandoah Valley & Mountains of the Virginias, An Explorer’s Guide: Includes Virginia’s Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains & West Virginia’s Alleghenies & New River RegionBigfoot: Surprising Encounters With Bigfoot/Sasquatch In The United States (Volume 1)Visits from the Forest People: An Eyewitness Report of Extended Encounters with BigfootBigfoot Observer’s Field Manual: A practical and easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to your very own face-to-face encounter with a legendEncounters: True Stories of the North American BigfootLon’s Suggested Reading List – Books & Films / DVDs

We’ve been exploring the amazing Parque Nacional Torres del Paine in Chile in a video series here. Go back and watch Parte Uno y Parte Dos in case you missed them. Next up is a hike through the Valle Francés (French Valley) and another one up to Ventisquero Grey (Grey Glacier).

The glacier is massive!

See highlights from the 2nd and 3rd days of our trip in Torres del Paine in this final video:

This video series is meant to be an exercise in listening and reading. As such, there are no English translations here. You can go back and read the full post on Torres del Paine to see the English translations.

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Exploring hiking trails is a great way to stretch those legs and get your blood pumping, or just get out and enjoy nature. It’s a great feeling when the cool wind touches your face and you can smell the fresh air. Here are a few of the world’s best hikes that are sure to take your breath away.

Amazing Hiking Trails for the Best Nature Hiking Experience

1. The West Maroon Pass5 Epic Colorado Hiking Trails You Must See To Believe Photo by Susie Kellogg [Kelogg Show]The West Maroon Pass is located in Colorado, with a 12.7 mile out and back hiking trail. It has a pass that brings you up to 12,480 feet of elevation. It’s under the Maroon Bell’s Peak which is said to be the most photographed peak in the United States. That alone speaks for itself.

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2. The Jewels Route6 trails in the U.S. You Have to See to Believe Photo by Eds_Photos/Twenty20 [Adventure Sports Network]This 48-mile trek is located in the western end of the Grand Canyon National Park. Ironically, Jewel’s route is said to have lighter crowds and boasts of turquoise Colorado River views and deep orange rocks.

3. Yoho National Park7 North American National Parks You Have To See To Believe Photo by Danielle Penny [Kaplan International]The Yoho National Park is located in British Columbia, Canada. It offers beautiful large lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, and hiking trails. The Burgess Shale, a fossil bed, is also nestled in this park. It boasts the best collection of rare fossil remains of prehistoric marine animals.

4. The King’s TrailSelf-guided Hiking on the King’s Trail Photo by Nature Travels

With a total of 275 miles through four national parks and a nature reserve, the King’s trail is said to take you about a month to finish. You will soak in some of the most beautiful landscapes in Sweden through this trail.

5. North Coyote Buttes and the Wave11 Stunning Arizona Hiking Spots You Need To See To Believe Photo by Hiking Feed

Just 3 hours away from Flagstaff, Arizona, North Coyote Buttes requires a permit if you want to hike through it. With just 20 permits being given daily, you’ll have to wait your turn. Reservations must be made 4 months in advance. However, it will surely be worth the wait because of the cross-bedded aeolian Jurassic Navajo Sandstone formation that’s such a unique experience in itself.

6. Red Rock Canyon State Park Trails9 Amazing Oklahoma State Parks You MUST See Photo by Ok Travel Family

The Red Rock Canyon State Park trails offer 2 nature trails and 1 challenging hiking trail. It also shows the historic California trail. Although it is not a well-known state park, it is great for hiking for the whole family. The giant red boulders that wall the corridors are still very impressive.

QUALITY YOU CAN CRASH ON: With this Double Camping Hammock from Legit Camping, you’ll have everything you need to relax in complete comfort on your next camping or hiking trip. Heading to the beach or taking in a festival? Don’t leave home without your parachute hammock. With its lightweight, spacious design and 400-pound capacity, it’s the camping companion you can’t go without.STUFF IT IN A SACK: This portable hammock redefines grab-n-go camping. No need to take along a bulky pad and heavy sleeping bag; just stuff the hammock into the small attached sack, put it in your pack and off you go. When you’ve found the best camp spot, setup is a breeze with the included steel carabiners, rope and tree friendly straps. You’ll be swinging in utter bliss in no time. (No need to buy hanging straps separately like with other camping and hiking hammocks)A CUT ABOVE: There are all kinds of camping accessories out there, but very few can compete with the quality you’ll find at Legit Camping. We create camping gear designed to stand up to the rigors of windy days, rainy nights and the wear and tear that comes with outdoor survival. When you go Legit, you say goodbye to shoddy construction and poor performance over time. Your hammock should work just as well five years down the line as it does when you take it out of the sack for the first time.

This Utah hiking trail is said to be the most popular haven for hikers. The main highlights of the Natural Arches in Utah are the 2,000-plus natural arches and red rock formations. This magnificent landscape stands in a 73,000-acre desert area. You can also enjoy the ancient rock art, which can be seen on a lot of these natural rock formations.

8. The Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HawaiiKalalau Trail Photo by Na Pali Kauai [Guide of US Hawaii]The Kalalau Trail presents 11 miles of cliffs, valleys, mountains, rainforests, and waterfalls that will have even the most jaded backpacking enthusiast in awe. You will be climbing as high as 4,000 feet across valleys and cliffs, which can be covered in just one day.

【Protect Patella & Relieve Pain】: With the compression pad, the knee brace can absorb the shocks and reduce the pain associated with patellar tendonitis, jumper’s knee, runner’s knee, chondromalacia.【Comfortable and Breathable Material】: Made of high-quality neoprene & nylon,Tomight patella knee braces are durable and skin-friendly to wear; the non-slip fabric absorbs the sweat and prevents any wet or slippery feeling on the knee during doing physical activity.【Reflective for Night Visibility】: The reflectors on the patella knee straps are designed for safety and visibility when you are running in the dark.

9. The Dragon’s Back TrailBelieve it, There’s Some Great Hiking HongKong Photo by Aida Ahmad [Star2]Reaching as high up to 284 meters, the Dragon’s Back trail offers jaw-dropping views. It’s classified as a moderate to easy hike, which traverses along the ridges of Shek O Peak to Wan Cham San in Hong Kong. It has an estimated distance of 8.5 km full of ups and downs, with a wide view of the ocean. This trail, named for its resemblance to a flying dragon, was recognized as the best urban hike by Time Magazine way back in 2004.

Soak up the amazing view when standing on the mouth of Howe Sound. St. Mark’s Summit is a picture of peace and tranquility with the mountains of Vancouver Island as a backdrop. The view of the vast ocean with Anvil Island to the right and Bowen Island to the left is awe-inspiring. With a total distance of 11 km, St. Mark’s Summit is considered the easiest trail to tackle compared to its counterparts in the area.

This trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio has a figure-eight trail with a total distance of 4.1 miles. The beautiful scenery on Ledges and Pine Grove Loops is indescribable–you just have to experience it firsthand.

The Rocky Top Trail can be found in an isolated valley called Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 13.9-mile round trip hike passes through extraordinary landmarks, taking special note of Spence Field. Once there, the scenic view of the three summits of Thunder Mountain will surely be worth the hike.

13. The Rumbling Bald MountainHere is How to Explore the Rumbling Bald Mountain Photo by The Esmeralda

This hiking destination offers an array of terrain around the Rumbling Bald Mountain in North Carolina. Passing through oak forests and rocky paths, you will see colossal cliff faces before reaching the cave. You can also choose to head for Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge. The latter was the setting for the film “Last of the Mohicans.”

The Bunker Meadows Trail lies in Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield, MA. With a total distance of 12 miles, this trail cuts through wetlands, meadows, and forests of the North Shore. Turtles, eastern bluebirds, and river otters are just among the many animals that you might come across while taking the trail.

Hikers will certainly be in high spirits as they pass through dense clouds, rocky ruins, tunnels, enchanting mountains, and a subtropical jungle. The Inca Trail is one of the most popular among hikers around the world. The grand finale of this trail is when they get to see the “Lost City of the Incas.” There are other hiking trails so picturesque you won’t believe they exist; click here to see more.

Situated in Patagonia, the hike takes about a day to get to the glacier and back. Despite the steep trail, the panoramic view of the black rock, multicolored hills, and blue glacial lake is truly a sight to behold.

This is the famous trail on the Na Pali, considered a world-class trail in Kauai, Hawaii. The Awa Awaapuhi Trail offers some of the most unbelievable views and a one-of-a-kind terrain.

18. Padar Island Trails, Komodo National Park, IndonesiaHiking Padar Island: The Most Stunning View in Komodo Photo by Lindsay [Frugal Frolicker]The hiking trails of Padar Island Komodo National Park boast the most scenic beautiful views. You will enjoy 180 degrees of nature’s whites, blues, and greens as you reach the summit of the tallest peak on the island.

The Blue Lakes Trail can bring you as high up as 13, 000 ft with panoramic views of lakes and alpine meadows filled with wildflowers. There are a lot of beautiful Colorado hiking trails and the Blue Lakes trail is among the top destinations. To know more about this trail, click here.

Located in the Redwood National Park, the Redwood Creek Trail features the largest trees in the world, with some reaching up to 300 feet high. The trail has a length of about 15.4 miles and can peak up to 500 feet.

This trail is the deepest and longest slot canyon in the southwestern part of the United States. Although considered to be a hard level trail, one will surely enjoy the view of sunlight peeking through the upper part of the rock walls. To see what else Buckskin Gulch has in store for you, click here.

This is an advanced-level trail, but definitely worth the endeavor because of the spectacular views of the pristine landscape. For more details on this high altitude trek, click here.

Watch this video of hiking the Inca Trail by A Globe Well Travelled:

Make sure you put at least some, if not all, of these amazing hiking trails on your bucket list. There’s nothing more satisfying than soaking up some of the most beautiful sights that nature has to offer from dusk till dawn.

Have you taken your pick on which of these amazing hiking trails to explore next? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

ÉCAL graduate Sebastian Maluska has created a simple rooftop tent that can be fitted to the roof of any car.

Maluska, who studied product design at Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ÉCAL) in Renens, Switzerland, created his tent for adventurous young people who want to travel on a budget, or go to remote areas.

“I spend a lot of time outside doing sport like skiing and surfing,” said Maluska. “It is always nice to be the first on the mountain or the first in the water. Therefore I have to sleep right at the spot.”

The rooftop tent design was inspired by the materials used in sail boats. It is created from two light-weight aluminium frames covered with waterproof sailing fabric.

When it is open the Nest tent provides sleeping space for two people.

A ladder is stored in a fabric pocket under the sleeping surface of the tent and can be pulled out and hooked on either side of the structure. The tent itself can be accessed through zip-openings on both sides.

When closed, the tent forms an aerodynamics shape and can be used as a rooftop storage space.

“Of course there are already existing tents to put on cars,” said Maluska.

“But they are constructed in very ornate ways, which makes them heavy, very expensive and – because of their bulky construction – very fuel consuming.”

Maluska worked to produce a new tent that used as little material as possible, making it much more simple and affordable.

For inspiration he looked to the sailing world. During the Volvo Ocean Race, he saw images of sailors sleeping inside a boat with surfaces made up almost entirely of fabric. He decided to base his design on the technology used by these boats.

The fabric itself acts as a structural element, while its combination with rope makes it a comfortable surface to sleep on.

Maluska tested his 1:1 prototype on a two night trip into the mountains. His trip tested the comfort of the sleeping surface and the aerodynamics of the tent on the roof, as well as the opening mechanism and the proportions of then structure. He confirmed it all to be satisfying.

“The sleeping surface was really comfortable and because the tent is detached from the floor, there was no moisture in it. I slept with the side windows open so I could see the stars.”

Call it camping. Call it glamping. Call it fueling your iPhone addiction. Bottom line is Goal Zero developed a safe, clean alternative, to traditional outdoor generators and portable batteries. Born from a desire to enhance lives through renewable energy, Goal Zero’s new Lithium Yeti Range offers the brand’s most versatile and innovative portable power stations to date. Each power station […]

Attention, camping enthusiasts: We know we’re usually droning on about an awesome TV deal or going crazy over the Instant Pot, and outdoorsy people might feel left out. Sure, that stuff is fun, but nothing beats getting a breath of fresh air that hasn’t been circling around a stuffy room for hours.

Amazon‘s Memorial Day Event is still going on (we don’t know why but let’s not question it) and it’s filled with outdoor gear like tents, air mattresses, portable propane stoves, and more. Your plans for every weekend in the summer have just been made. Read more…

Camping is a cost-effective and beautiful way to travel during the summer months.
America has a wealth of camping spots to offer, complete with natural resources and scenic views.
Each state has a unique campsite attraction, from Florida’s Cayo Costa State Park to the Cherry Springs in Pennsylvania.

Numerous studies have found benefits to spending time in the outdoors: better concentration, elevated mood, even faster healing and improved sleep patterns.

But camping isn’t just a prescription for dealing with urban angst and anxiety. It’s also a joy in its own right — an excuse to go to bed early, stare at the stars and get your hands dirty eating gooey s’mores roasted over an open flame.

If you’re looking for a reason to dust off your headlamp or fire up the RV, every single state in the U.S. boasts remarkable landscapes where you can bunk for the night.

From remote beaches accessible only by boat to rugged canyons best explored by canoe, these are the best places to camp in every single state.

Alabama — Outpost at Gulf State ParkBJ Ray/Shutterstock

Glamping meets the backcountry at Gulf State Park‘s three walk-in Outpost sites, where canvas tents set on the sand look pulled from a wanderlust Pinterest board. Each comes with four beds, an outdoor sink, port-a-potty, fire pit and, perhaps most importantly, peace and privacy.

In a state full of natural riches, Glacier Bay is a marvel, home to lofty peaks, humpback whales, 700 miles of coastline, and blue-tinged glaciers that calve directly into the sea. Set within temperate rainforest along Bartlett Cove, the park’s only campground is gorgeously green (if a bit damp) and an easy jumping off point for paddling trips or boat tours.

Getting to Havasupai is a challenge. Permits are snatched up almost instantly, and even if you snag one it’s 10-mile trek from the rim to reach this rustic campground hugging Havasu Creek. Make the journey, however, and you’re rewarded with a series of gushing waterfalls and natural pools all an astonishing shade of robin’s egg blue.